Insulating sleeve or tube machine.



F. WUNDERLICH.

INSULATING SLEEVE 0B. TUBE MACHINE.

. APPLICATION FILED JULY 8,1909. 1,090,369. Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR Frederick Ffimda'lz'cie WITNESSES:

AT'TORNEY F. WUNDERLIGH. INSULATING SLEEVE 0B. TUBE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 8, 1909.

1,090,369 Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

2 BHEETS -SHBET 2.

WITNESSES: INVEN'TOR Fed II/W1? d Z k Q r 6630 lzerzz; v I I 0 o r Jig ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 17, 1914. Serial No. 506,607.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK Wunnnn- LIOH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Swissvale, in the count-y of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement 1n Insulating Sleeve or Tube Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relatesto devices for facilitating the manufacture of insulating sleeves or tubes.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine which is specially adapted for use in manufacturing short insulating tubes or sleeves such as are used in connection with brush holders and other parts of electrical devices which are insulated from the sup ports to which they are secured, but it may, of course, be used for producing various other tubular articles.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a front elevation and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs. 3 and 4 are detail views of a resilient guide which forms a part of the machine shown in the other figures.

Referring to the drawings, the machine illustrated comprises a stationary base 1 having pillow blocks 2 and 3 projecting upwardly therefrom, a shaft 4 rotatably sup ported on the said blocks, a hand wheel 5 secured to the shaft, a stationary guide member or chute 6, a yielding guide member 7 a gage 8 and a lamp 9 which cooperates with the gage to indicate a predetermined thickness of the insulating tube which may be in process of construction on the machine. The stationary guide or chute 6 comprises a plain inclined surface 10, which is substantially rectangular and along which the insulating sheets or strips may be fed to the shaft 4, an end member 11 supported by the pillow block 2 and an end member 12 having a rod 12 which is fitted loosely into a recess 13 in the end of the shaft 4 and is removably secured to the end member 11 by rods 18. A pin 14 projects outwardly from the pillow block 2 parallel to the axis of the shaft 4 to engage a tubular socket with which one edge of the yielding guide member 7 is provided. The guide nember 7 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, comarises a tubular strip 16 of cotton duck, or ther suitable fabric, a sheet-metal backing opposite edge is 18 provided with the tubular socket for the pin 14 and a curved sheet-metal spring 17, preferably formed of tempered steel. The sheet-metal backing 18 is provided with a cross strip 19 adjacent to one edge and its bent backwardly upon itself, as shown at 20. The sheet-metal spring 17 is applied as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, one edge being hooked over the strip 19 and the other edge being forced under the overlapping edge 20 of the backing 18. The action of the spring 17 is such as to press the tubular strip 16 against the outer layer of insulation during the winding operation and thus insure the formation of a compact insulating tube, and the pin 14 prevents the guide from turning with the shaft 4.

The gage 8 comprises a wheel or pulley 21 which is rotatably mounted upon a pin 22 supported at the end of a bifurcated arm 23. The arm 23 is pivotally supported by a stud 24 projecting outwardly from the pillow block 2 below and slightly at one side of the shaft 4. The wheel or pulley 21 is normally held in engagement with the strip of fabric 16 by means of a spring 25. A

gagement therewith when the ley 21 is separated to a tent from the shaft 4.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Assuming that the parts occupy the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, if the hand wheel 5 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 28, and if a strip of insulation or a series 0 thin insulating sheets are fed to the shaft 4 from the inclined surface 10 of the chute 6 within the reinforced fabric sleeve, these insulating parts will obviously be drawn around the shaft 4 and will be wound into the form of an insulating tube or sleeve. As this process is continued, the diameter of the tube will be increased and, by properly adjusting the contact member 26, the contact members 26 and 27 will come into engagement with each and the incandescent lamp 9 will be lighted when the insulating sleeve has acquired the desired thickness. The incandescent lamp may, of course, be replaced by any other suitable visual or audible indieator by which an attendant may be automatically made aware that the insulating tube is ready to be removed from the shaft.

In constructing the insulating tube, it may be found advisable to utilize a roll or strip of thin paper, and, as the paper is being wound upon the shaft, small sheets of mica may be inserted between convolutions to increase the insulating properties of the completed product. Insulating shellac or other suitable liquid may be applied as the process proceeds. When the tube is completed, the chute (3, the yielding guide 7 and the end member 12 may be removed and the completed tube slipped from the end of the shaft a.

I claim as my invention:

1. A tube machine comprising a rotatable shaft, a tubular resilient guide mounted upon said shaft, and a spring making engagement with the ends of the guide and serving to force them toward each other.

2. A tube machine comprising a rotatable shaft, a reinforced fabric sleeve mounted upon said shaft, a spring for forcibly wrap- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. 0.

' ping the sleeve closely about the shaft, and a stationary inclined chute over which insulating strips may be fed into the sleeve.

3. A tube machine comprising a rotatable shaft or arbor, a stationary chute or guide, a flexible sleeve or wrapping surrounding the shaft, a yielding tubular member for forcibly wrapping the sleeve about the shaft, and means for automatically indicating a predetermined thickness of tube.

4. A machine for making insulating tubes comprising a rotatable shaft or arbor, a flexible sleeve, resilient means for wrapping the sleeveabout the shaft, means venting the turning of the sleeve with the shaft or arbor, and a chute for feeding insulating strips into the sleeeve. I g

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this Qith day of June,

FREDERICH lVUNDERLICH Witnesses:

C. B. AUEL, I B. B'. HINns.

for pre- Commissioner of Patents, 

